Nonprofits

He’d been waiting years for a service dog—years marked by crippling anxiety, years of waitlists, years of prices he couldn’t hope to pay. Running out of options, the Marine veteran called a local dog trainer named Mary Cortani and made a desperate plea. That call...

Local officials and home builders on Feb. 13 celebrated the groundbreaking for the construction of a project that will bring 65 affordable houses for farmworkers to north Morgan Hill.  Developer Eden Housing is building the project, known as The Magnolias, which is partially funded by...

South Valley Civic Theatre brings the full-length version of Disney’s “High School Musical On Stage!” to the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse this month, featuring 40 local teens in a story about breaking free from social expectations. The production opens Feb. 20 and runs through March...

The Gilroy Garlic Queen pageant is back for 2026, following a seven-year hiatus.  Online applications are currently being accepted for the pageant, which will take place April 19. The deadline to enter the pageant is 4pm March 16.  To apply for the 2026 Gilroy Garlic Queen...

Longtime director of the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival Mattie Scariot was recently appointed as Interim Executive Director of Community Media Access Partnership (CMAP TV).  Scariot began her new role Feb. 3, and will lead the organization during a period of transition while focusing on...

Visit Morgan Hill has unveiled its first destination guide, a new publication designed to inspire year-round visitation to Morgan Hill.  The Visit Morgan Hill Destination Guide, available in both print and digital formats, serves as a primary visitor resource with a two-year shelf-life of 2026–2027,...

The Rotary Club of Morgan Hill hosted and sponsored a community tree planting project on Jan. 31. Rotary members, joined by volunteers and South County officials, planted young trees on the West Little Llagas Creek Trail between Watsonville Road and Middle Avenue. Pictured below,...

The Peninsula Open Space Trust purchased 2,284 acres of ranchland in southern Santa Clara County for $23 million, the organization announced Jan. 29. The acquisition brings POST’s total holdings at the former Sargent Ranch property to 6,114 acres and preserves sacred native land that...

BookSmart Community Advantage has announced the winners of its 2025 Gift of Reading Essay Contest, an annual event that launches the organization’s Gift of Reading program aimed at promoting literacy and access to books for local students. Students were asked to respond to the prompt:...

After more than three years of dedicated planning, listening and partnership, Santa Clara Family Health Plan has opened the South County Community Resource Center at 150 Leavesley Road in Gilroy.  This marks the second CRC opened by the local health plan, as it also operates...